Multi-sonobuoy launch container with fluid actuator

ABSTRACT

A multi-store launch container is disclosed wherein a plurality of stores,aintained in a tandem configuration therein, can be sequentially ejected. The container is normally carried by a vehicle and receives the necessary charges, of for instance pressurized gas, at its breach end through apparatus known in the art. A fluid-controlled flow valve maintains an open flow pathway through a first channel while blocking the opening to a second channel. After the first charge is fired, the diverter mechanism forces the flow valve to pivot and tightly shut the first primary channel and open the second primary channel to receive the next charge.

STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a fluid-actuated multi-store dispenserwherein a fluid activated flow controller causes sequential launching ofstores from their tandem position inside a launch container. In someenvironments, it is desirable to dispense multiple stores, for instancesonobuoys, in dense patterns. Due to physical limitations of space inthe dispensing vehicle, an effort was made to miniaturize the activecomponents inside the store and therefore reduce the overall outerdimensions thereof. Once the size of the store was reduced, in order tomeet the demands of the denser patterns, the inside of the individuallaunch containers had to be modified to allow each to hold and dispensemore than one store. Any new type of launch container, in addition tomaintaining the size requirement dictated by the transporting vehicle,must be operated by the vehicle's pneumatic gas and electrical systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to develop aninternal mechanism that will allow the carriage and dispensing of aplurality of stores from within a single launch container.

It is a further object of the invention to develop such an internalmechanism that can easily be retrofitted into the existing inventory oflaunch containers.

It is a still further object of the present invention to develop aninternal mechanism that will permit the carriage and dispensing of aplurality of stores from within a single container without interferingwith the safety or the reliability of either the dispensing vehicle orthe container.

It is a still further object of the present invention to develop such aninternal mechanism that will be relatively simple to manufacture,install and maintain.

These and other objects of the invention are accomplished by a tubularstore launch container, that is installed in a vehicle to receive afluid charge into its breech end and that contains a fluid-directingflow valve, at least two fluid channels for directing the fluid chargeand a diverter mechanism that alternatingly covers first one channel andthen the other. The stores are loaded into the container in tandempositions and a multi-channel flow valve pre-set to open access to afirst, primary pathway and to close access to a second, primary pathway.Additionally, access is opened to a flow valve diverter pathway. Thestores are removably sealed into the container to form an airtightpackage. At a predetermined signal, a first charge of gas flows into theflow valve, down the primary pathway and impacts against the inner endof the last-loaded store. Pressurized flow also travels into the flowdiverter pathway and forces a diverter cylinder across a predetermineddistance. The movement of this cylinder unbalances a spring force andthe resulting spring restoration force moves the valve from the secondprimary channel over to the first, thereby resulting in the closing ofthe first and opening of the second. Whenever the vehicle is ready todispense the second store, a second charge will now flow through thesecond, primary pathway to the second store and against the innersurface thereof to force it from the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional elevation view of a launch container,modified by the instant invention, with two stores contained therein andafter a first charge has been fired;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view, taken along lines II--II of FIG. 1,showing a view of the upper, inside of the breach end of the launchcontainer when the flow valve assembly has been removed;

FIG. 3 shows an isolated and enlarged perspective view of a part of theflow valve shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a front view of the flow valve shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5a shows a left-side view of the flow valve shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5b shows a bottom view of the flow valve shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 shows an isolated cross-sectional view of the piston cylinder ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional elevation view, similar to FIG. 1, afterone store has been ejected and depicting a second charge (shown by thedashed arrow) firing the innermost store; and

FIG. 8 shows a view similar to FIG. 6 depicting the resulting emptylaunch container after all stores have been ejected.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings wherein like characters designate like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG.1, a cross-sectional elevation view of a standard-size launch container20, connected into the transporting vehicle (not shown in FIG. 1), withtwo stores 22a, 22b contained therein and after a first fluid charge(denoted by the fluid flow dashed arrows) has been fired from thevehicle. The charge can be either a pneumatic gas charge, such as isdetailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,085 which is incorporated herein byreference, or an explosive charge from what is commonly called acartridge-activated-device, or CAD, as is known in the art. Launchcontainer 20 is connected to the transport vehicle at its breach end 24by locking lugs 26a, 26b being inserted into receptacles (not shown) inthe vehicle, as is known, to thereby leave its discharge end 28 open tothe environment. Launch container 20 can be made from molded ABS plasticor aluminum sheet, formed into a tubular sleeve of predetermineddiameter and length, with the components at the breach end, as will bemore fully described below, being made from molded plastic or othersuitable materials. FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of launch container 20taken along lines II--II of FIG. 1, showing container 20 with the breachend cap 21 removed.

A plenum chamber 32 to receive fluid charges, in the form of a cup, witha fluid charge aperture 34 through the central portion of the bottom 35,is affixed inside the breach end 24 of cap 21, as by one or morefasteners 37. The charge supplying mechanism (such as, for instance, aCAD, as shown in phantom) can be conveniently attached thereto, as bymating threads therefrom to the threads 36 on the inner surface of thechamber walls. Fasteners 37, for instance a bolt and nut combinationshown in FIG. 1, fix the side tab 39 of chamber 32 to cap 21 and to flowvalve means 41. Valve means 41 is rigidly secured, near the breach end,to the inside of container 20, as shown, and consists of a flow valvehousing 42, a centrally-located flow valve 43 connected by a biasingmeans, such as a spring 45, to a piston cylinder 46 that reciprocatesinside of aperture 47, a radially-located securing section to capturefastener 37 and oppositely-extending port sections 48a, 48b. The bottomperipheral edge and surface 51 of housing 42 provides acharge-deflecting guide to properly direct the charge around the outerperimeter of the innermost store to bring the firing force to bearevenly on the store as it is discharged from container 20. Each store22b, 22a is inserted inside container 20 so that its upper rim 23b, 23a,respectively, forms a hermetic seal, to be broken only when sufficientcharge pressure accumulates, between the inner surface of the walls ofcontainer 20 and the rim. If desired, a disc of foam padding can beinserted atop each store (not shown) to prevent damage to the topsurface thereof while the store is being carried in container 20. Chargecollection chamber 40, situated immediately below plenum chamber 32,collects the charge and allows it to be diverted to different ports,such as port 48a or port 48b, as will be described.

Two of the key components of the present invention are the flow valvemeans 41 and the attached piston cylinder mechanism 46, 47, both shownin FIG. 1 in their initial positions. Flow valve means 41 is comprisedof spring-loaded flow valve 52, as shown in separate views in FIGS. 3,4, 5a and 5b and housing 42 for twin ports 48a and 48b, shown moreclearly in FIG. 2. Valve 52, as seen in cross-section in FIG. 1 and in aplan view in FIG. 2, is essentially in the shape of a right circularcylinder with a conical collection chamber 40 oriented at the centralaxis thereof. It has a wing section 61 extending from its centralsection, and section 61 carries a channel 63 to define a flow path port48a for the first fluid charge, as will be discussed. As can be seen inFIG. 2, valve 52 has three extension tabs 56a, 56b and 56c to receivefasteners 37 and thereby secure cap 21 to housing 52. Valve 52 isfixedly held inside container 20 so that channel 63 is aligned with apassageway 66 along a predefined corridor extending longitudinallyinside launch container shell 67. Passageway 66 connects channel 63 withan aperture 68 in the side wall of container 20 for a purpose to beexplained. In a similar fashion, a much shorter channel 64 leads fromport 48b to a unique open area immediately adjacent the top surface ofstore 22b, and a smaller channel 69 branches off from channel 63, asseen in FIG. 1. Channel 69 connects the fluid flow channel 63 to an areaimmediately adjacent cylinder 46. Cylinder 46 slidingly fits intopassageway 70 where it can reciprocate from one side to the other.

Valve 52, as can be seen more clearly in FIGS. 3, 4, 5a and 5b, is arelatively flat, semi-rectangular shaped device that has a centrallylocated pyramidal, or thickened, part 72a,72b at the bottom or proximalend. A hollowed-out inner section in part 72a, b contains a guiding ring74 that captures the upper end of a compression spring 76. The other endof spring 76 is fixedly held by cylinder 46, by projection 46a, as seenin FIG. 6, and the spring 76 keeps valve 52 a predetermined distanceabove the upper surface of cylinder 46. Opposite sides 77a, 77b of valve52 are ground flat and towards the distal end, are tapered at thecorners 78a, 78b. Valve 52 is connected to spring 76, which, in turn, isconnected to projection 46a on cylinder 46. Cylinder 46 is initially setadjacent the end of channel 69 to imbalance, and make off-center, thelocation of the upper end of spring 76, which is fixed inside valve 52.This imbalance causes valve 52 to be forced against, and sealinglycover, port 48b, as shown in FIG. 1. As will be explained, the oppositesides 77a, 77b of valve 52 alternatingly seal ports 48a, 48b as fluidcharges move cylinder 46.

The action and reaction of the multi-store launch container can be moreeasily understood with reference to FIGS. 1, 7 and 8. Launch container20 is loaded with first store 22b and then store 22a.

When the first charge (as depicted by the dashed arrows) enters plenumchamber 32 and then collection chamber 45, it is free to only proceedthrough port 48a and out channel 63 and down channel 66. Valve 52 isinitially closed over port 48b and the pressure from the first chargecauses it to remain in that position, where it continues to cover port48b. The charge will be forced down the corridor that is channel 66 andthrough aperture 68 and to the unique area around the perimeter of store22a. The pressure from the charge will build until it is sufficient toovercome shear tabs (not shown) that are holding store 22a insidecontainer 20. Store 22a will leave container 20 (as shown by the arrowsat the lower end thereof depicting movement and the phantom linesshowing store 22a in a second position). Additionally, a portion of thisfirst charge will also move through channel 69 to the small bore 71adjacent cylinder 46, and once sufficient pressure has built up in thisarea, start to move, or reciprocate, cylinder 46 to the opposite end ofpassageway 70. The movement of cylinder 46 shifts projection 46a, whichcauses a further contortion of spring 76. Due to the natural restoringspring force in spring 76, and due to the fact that cylinder 46 isheavier than valve 52, the upper end of spring 76 reacts to thecontortion by tending to move to the opposite side of chamber 40 tocompletely close, and seal, port 48a, thereby completely opening port48b, as seen in FIG. 7. The flat surface 77a of valve 52 conforms to theedges of port 48a. Now that port 48b is open, and port 48a is closed, asubsequent charge (as seen by the dashed arrows in FIG. 7) will flowthrough plenum chamber 32, into chamber 40 and out through port 48b.This charge will be diverted, once it reaches the inner surface of store22b, by ring 46 to flow over the surface of the perimeter of store 22b.once sufficient pressure, to overcome shear tabs (not shown)constraining store 22b inside container 20, builds up, the tabs will bebroken and store 22b will be ejected. The empty launch container 20 isshown in FIG. 8.

Obviously, other embodiments and modifications of the present inventionwill readily come to those of ordinary skill in the art having thebenefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description anddrawings. It is therefore to be understood that various changes in thedetails, materials, steps, and arrangements of parts, which have beendescribed and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention, may bemade by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of theinvention as expressed in the appended claims.

What I claim is:
 1. A fluid-activated launcher system, connected to receive fluid charges, for sequentially ejecting stores releasably held in tandem position in a launch container, comprising:a. a launch tube, having a breach end and a discharge end, loaded with a plurality of stores for ejection through the discharge end; b. fluid producing means connected to said breach end to produce predetermined charges of fluid into said launch tube; and c. flow valve means comprisinga plurality of channels, each said channel connecting said fluid producing means to a unique area adjacent a store; channel cover means pivotally connected to oscillate from a sealing position over a first primary channel to a sealing position over a second primary channel; and biasing means connected to said channel cover means to exert a predetermined force on said channel cover means connected to said fluid producing means to selectively divert the fluid charges to impact, sequentially, said plurality of stores.
 2. A launcher system as described in claim 1 wherein said biasing means consists of a fluid-activated cylinder and a spring.
 3. A launcher system as described in claim 2 wherein said fluid-activated cylinder reciprocates in a cylinder passageway adjacent said flow valve means.
 4. A launcher system as described in claim 1 wherein said channel cover means comprises a flat, rectangular-shaped section.
 5. A fluid-activated launch container for sequentially dispensing a plurality of stores, connected to receive a plurality of fluid charges, comprising:a. a launch tube, having a breach end connected to a carrying craft to receive fluid charges and an oppositely-disposed discharge end, and being loaded with a plurality of stores for ejection through the discharge end; b. a charge accumulation and distribution area; c. a plurality of ports adjacent said area, each said port leading, through a separate channel, to a unique area adjacent one of said plurality of stores; d. a cylinder to slidingly reciprocate from end to end in a passageway; and e. a valve cover biasingly mounted to said cylinder. 